A packing list for tiles must show, for each design: the size, grade, shade or batch, number of boxes, pieces per box, square metres, and gross and net weight, grouped by pallet. It is the document your warehouse uses to unload and your customs broker uses to check the goods.
It should agree with the invoice and the bill of lading. A packing list that differs from the cargo is a common reason for inspection and delay.
What fields should a tile packing list have?
At minimum, include these items for every line:
- Design name and design code, written the same way as on the carton.
- Tile size in millimetres, thickness and finish.
- Grade, and the shade or batch number, so one design is not mixed across lots.
- Pieces per box, boxes per pallet and number of pallets.
- Square metres per box and total square metres per design.
- Net weight and gross weight per pallet, plus totals for the container.
Box numbers on the carton should follow tile carton box markings. If the carton says one shade and the list says another, you cannot check the delivery.
What shipment details belong at the top?
The header should carry the exporter and consignee names and addresses, the invoice number and date, the container number and seal number, the port of loading and discharge, and the vessel if known. Add the price term and the order reference you gave the factory.
How is the packing list used on arrival?
Your warehouse can check the container against the list by pallet and box. A list grouped by pallet lets staff count quickly and match each pallet to a design and shade. If you need to claim for breakage or shortage, the list shows what was supposed to be there.
Customs also use it to check quantity and weight against the invoice and bill of lading. Weights matter, because tile containers are heavy and may meet limits on the road. See the weight limit per container for tiles.
What mistakes should you watch for?
The common errors are mixed units, such as pieces on the invoice and square metres on the list; boxes counted differently; and weights that do not add up. Another is a design listed under one shade when two shades were loaded.
Ask for a draft before the container sails and check it against the loading photographs. Read documents needed for tile exports from India for the rest of the pack.
How do you check the list against the cargo?
Compare the list with the cartons during loading. Take a few boxes from each pallet and check that the design, size, shade and batch on the label match the line on the list. Count the pallets as they go in. A supervisor who ticks the list against the cargo can catch a wrong shade before the container is sealed rather than after it is opened.
How we help
We check the draft packing list against the order, the cartons and the loading, and supervise loading so the paper matches the goods. To plan an order, book a free sourcing review.